As already stated, the exogamous divisions of the Bhunjias are derived
from those of the Gonds. Among the Chaukhutias it is considered a
great sin if the signs of puberty appear in a girl before she is
married, and to avoid this, if no husband has been found for her,
they perform a 'Kand Byah' or 'Arrow Marriage': the girl walks seven
times round an arrow fixed in the ground, and is given away without
ceremony to the man who by previous arrangement has brought the
arrow. If a girl of the Chinda group goes wrong with an outsider
before marriage and becomes pregnant, the matter is hushed up, but
if she is a Chaukhutia it is said that she is finally expelled from
the community, the same severe course being adopted even when she is
not pregnant if there is reason to suppose that the offence has been
committed. A proposal for marriage among the Chaukhutias is made on
the boy's behalf by two men who are known as Mahalia and Jangalia, and
are supposed to represent a Nai (barber) and Dhimar (water-carrier),
though they do not actually belong to these castes. As among the
Gonds, the marriage takes place at the bridegroom's village, and
the Mahalia and Jangalia act as stewards of the ceremony, and are
entrusted with the rice, pulse, salt, oil and other provisions, the
bridegroom's family having no function in the matter except to pay
for them. The provisions are all stored in a separate hut, and when
the time for the feast has come they are distributed raw to all the
guests, each family of whom cook for themselves. The reason for this
is, as already explained, that each one is afraid of losing status
by eating with other members of the tribe. The marriage is solemnised
by walking round the sacred post, and the ceremony is conducted by a
hereditary priest known as Dinwari, a member of the tribe, whose line
it is believed will never become extinct. Among the Chinda Bhunjias
the bride goes away with her husband, and in a short time returns with
him to her parents' house for a few days, to make an offering to the
deities. But the Chaukhutias will not allow her, after she has lived
in her father-in-law's house, to return to her home. In future if she
goes to visit her parents she must stay outside the house and cook
her food separately. Widow-marriage and divorce are permitted, but
a husband will often overlook transgressions on the part of his wife
and only put her away when her conduct has become an open scandal. In
such a case he will either quietly leave house and wife and settle
alone in another village, or have his wife informed by means of a
neighbour that if she does not leave the village he will do so. It
is not the custom to bring cases before the tribal committee or to
claim damages. A special tie exists between a man and his sister's
children. The marriage of a brother's son or daughter to a sister's
daughter or son is considered the most suitable. A man will not allow
his sister's children to eat the leavings of food on his plate, though
his own children may do so. This is a special token of respect to his
sister's children. He will not chastise his sister's children, even
though they deserve it. And it is considered especially meritorious for
a man to pay for the wedding ceremony of his sister's son or daughter.